What is Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) and how does it impact your Labor and Industries claim

An injured worker is entitled to proper and necessary medical treatment until all accepted medical conditions have reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). MMI is the point at which there is no further curative medical treatment that will resolve the symptoms or treat the condition. MMI does not necessarily mean the injury is healed; it means that curative treatment options are exhausted. It is unfortunate, but sometimes an injured worker may continue to experience pain even after reaching MMI.

Typically, the injured worker’s attending provider determines whether they have reached MMI. If the injured worker’s provider does not want to make this decision, they will be referred to an “independent medical evaluation” IME. During this evaluation, the injured worker’s medical history will be reviewed, they will be examined, and their level of impairment evaluated.

If there is lingering impairment, the injured worker will be entitled to a permanent partial disability award equal to the amount of residual impairment. Just as pain is not a factor in determining MMI, pain is also not a factor in determining the extent of permanent partial disability. Permanent partial disability must be based on objective medical evidence, except for mental health claims, where providers are allowed to consider subjective factors.

Once a condition(s) has reached MMI, no further treatment will be authorized. An LNI claim cannot close until all conditions related to the industrial injury or occupational disease have reached MMI.

If you believe that your claim has closed before your conditions have reached MMI, or if you have additional questions, contact us here at Atlas Law and let us know how we can lift the weight off your shoulders.